Good Food Good Community

I often say, “Food is the love language of the Chinese people.” If you’ve ever been to a Chinese banquet, you know that we love good food and lots of it! We celebrate birthdays, weddings, memorials, and all special occasions with food. Good food is the way we share love and celebrate relationships. I’ve found this to be true in every culture I’ve experienced.

Good food is also enjoyed whenever I gather with close friends. We’re able to be fully present in every way, and there’s no limit to our time together as it is physically, emotionally, and spiritually fulfilling. 

Good Food and Good Community in Scripture 

After Jesus rose from the dead, he cooked fish and invited his disciples to have breakfast with him. (John 21:9-13). They could have just talked at the beach, but Jesus wanted to share some good food with his disciples in one of their last times together. 

The early believers “worshipped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity” (Acts 2:46). Fellowship together involved Scripture, prayer, the Lord’s Supper, and a meal together. 

There were seven major annual feasts/festivals commanded in Leviticus 23, including the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First fruits, the Feast of the Weeks (Pentecost), the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of the Tabernacles. These feasts, celebrated with food and in community, served as ways to remember God’s protection, provision, and redemption. 

Even in hard times, God talks about preparing a feast for us in the presence of our enemies. (Psalm 23:5).

Bringing Good Food to Your Community

InterVarsity volunteer staff Isaiah has been cooking regularly for Hui Pasi, our Pacific islander fellowship in Hawaii. I would happily drive across town to eat his food, and I’m sure his students also look forward to enjoying his food together each week. Good food is part of the good community they enjoy as they study Scripture, pray, and worship our Lord. 

When I asked a friend who loves to cook about the topic of good food and good community, she talked about food being something that slows us down so we can connect with others. We sit down and all our attention is given to both eating and connecting.

If you’re not a great cook like me, there’s always something simple that you can provide. I bring tuna sandwiches, chips, and a simple salad when it’s my turn to bring lunch to church. When I host dinner in my home, it’s not fancy but hopefully enjoyable. I grew up with parents that had gifts of hospitality and community. Our food was simple but abundant, and everyone we invited over enjoyed our time together.

Ask God how he might be inviting you to extend hospitality to your InterVarsity community through food. This doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You can also focus on one or two dishes you feel great about. Form a rotating team of people to give those who love cooking and hospitality the chance to serve, or consider asking alumni and volunteers to contribute funds, time, or their own food. Or, if you yourself are an InterVarsity alumnus or partner, consider how you can serve a campus in this way.

Cooking with others also develops community, so you can even plan time to make and eat food together! If you’re the one providing the food, don’t let the preparation and serving of the food take away from you experiencing community. Have others help you serve and clean up.

God’s Great Banquet on Campus 

How can good food play a larger role in your InterVarsity community? Whether simple or fancy, it’s undeniable that food adds another dimension to our gatherings. The physical nourishment we experience when we eat together mirrors the spiritual nourishment we’re also experiencing together.

Jesus talks about the Great Banquet where everyone is invited. (Luke 14:15-24) Who might Jesus be inviting you to bring to the table — into good food and good community — so they can experience him for themselves?